TFP: When Autobots take prisoners
by TombBrain
Summary: Normally whenever the Autobots attack, no Decepticons are left standing to tell the tale, but what happens if the Decepticons surrender first? What will the Autobots do? And how long will their morality keep them from exploiting their newfound captives? Rated T for future things i'll be bringing in.


**Author's Note: Hello and welcome to my Transformers Prime fanfiction! While this is my first TFP fanfiction, this is certainly something I have done before (To those waiting for a fifth chapter to my other story; rest assured… it's on the way)**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy this story and if you don't, tell me why so I can improve in the future.**

 **I wrote this because I noticed a shortage of serious stories including the lovable grunts of the Decepticons, so I decided to add in my two pence to the pool.**

 **Without further ado, let's get right into it!**

As the secret war for Planet Earth raged on behind the curtains of human society, things were not exactly looking good for the Decepticons. Optimus Prime had returned in an even more powerful than before, Darkmount had been reduced to rubble, the Autobots and human military had become more aggressive in their attacks on the many Energon mines the Decepticons had set up, to the point of killing all mining crews even after victory was assured and finally, Megatron, lord of the Decepticons, had become even more vicious than before, threatening to send any who crossed him to Shockwave for "testing".

Needless to say, it was not a good time to be a Vehicon trooper.

Deep inside Mine 264, production of Energon had slowed significantly and this was due to most of the mining crews being either recalled to the Nemesis, or sent to other mines, even though 264 was one of the largest mines the Decepticons had left. Better yet, a team of only three Vehicon troopers was left to protect all 150 cyber-acres worth of tunnels and caverns that made up Mine 264, nowhere near enough to protect the thirty-plus miners left.

"I'm telling you sir, there are not enough troops here to protect the mine, and there is plenty of Energon left here; couldn't you spare at least five more troopers to send down here?" The Vehicon team leader, nicknamed "45" due to his ID number '364545', questioned Starscream, who was sitting comfortably in the Nemesis' bridge.

"I'm sorry trooper, but Megatron needs all of his troops here on the Nemesis… just in case." He managed to sound sarcastic _and_ condescending at the same time.

"If the Autobots find out how understaffed we are, we won't be able to even put up a fight. There's enough raw Energon in here that the Autobots could make a bomb to destroy the Nemesis and still have enough to power themselves for a whole Earth-century!" 45 replied angrily; Starscream was always the type to annoy those around- and under- him.

"Why, I'm sure you're just exaggerating… and the Autobots will never find ou-" He was cut off by a loud beeping coming from behind him.

He growled: "What is it Soundwave?"

The beeping continued and the Vehicon waited patiently, knowing that those who got on bad terms with Soundwave rarely returned from their next assignments.

Starscream came back on: "The Autobots were listening the whole time!?"

"Commander?"

"I suggest you prepare to leave trooper, because you should be expecting company soon. Set proximity charges on the Energon and contact the warship when you're ready." Starscream growled into the comm.

"Yes commander Starscream." 45 replied, understanding that the Autobots were very quick at reacting to information.

He removed his finger from his comm piece and ran to address his last two soldiers, nicknamed "46" and "47" (The closeness of the numbers indicating squad assignment) to warn them as they patrolled the tunnel next to 45's.

"Ready your weapons, the Autobots are on their way, follow me." The pair nodded and switched their right hands to weapon mode and fell into step behind their leader.

"Sir, what about the miners?" 47 asked, somewhat sadly; all Vehicons and miners knew what happens to those left behind in the mines when the Autobots arrive.

45 hesitated, thinking, before fingering his comm and switching to the main channel.

"Attention Decepticons: We are about to come under attack from the Autobots, miners 116 to 118 report to the centre area. All other crews evacuate immediately." His voice boomed over the loud speakers and the sound of metallic footsteps echoed through the tunnels.

He heard the loud of hum of a ground bridge and a miner yell: "Go go go!" And the clatter continued. Suddenly, three miners rounded the corner and stopped a few cyber-metres from 45, saluting.

"You called for us sir?" The lead miner said, seemingly anxious about that the fact that they hadn't left yet. 45 regarded them; all relatively young and all had so much potential. And the Autobots would kill them anyways.

"Come with me. While the others are leaving, we'll be making sure the Autobots don't get any of the Energon left here." 45 said with authority as this may be his last order given outside of combat and he knew this fact well.

The miner nodded and the group ran to the central chamber where the ground bridge evacuating the mining crews collapsed in on itself and disappeared. The two Vehicons spread out across the room as 45 stopped to order the miners to plant the charges they carried with them as standard issue. The team set to work, sprinting to the large glowing crystals at the sides of the room, and as they did this, 45 and the other troopers heard a faint sound, one that would haunt them for as long as they lived.

The sound of a ground bridge. And it wasn't Deception.

A loud roar filled the empty passageways and echoed off the larger chamber's walls, and this roar wasn't alone; it was soon joined by a second and third. One was high pitched, the second a low grumble and the third sat comfortably in between in terms of pitch. Immediately after the initial sound, three pairs of headlights rounded the rocky corner and drove into the cavern where the Vehicons were.

Time itself seemed to slow down briefly for 45, and he used this time to analyse the situation. Two of the miners had turned and readied their weapons, one laser arched out from one in one hundredth of it's normal velocity, and one of his Vehicons stood by his side, taking aim at the large green truck charging towards them.

However, it was the third Vehicon, 46 to be precise, who gave the highest tactical advantage. He was standing next to the entrance without his weapon out, crouched low to the earth; ready to pounce. He looked at 45 who nodded, understanding his intentions, and time returned to it's normal speed.

Instantly, 46 leapt forwards and tackled the blue motorcycle that had just entered the chamber. He rolled, the Autobot held in a tight grip in his arms as he used her as a shield against the ground before righting himself and slamming her into the wall. She transformed against 46's grasp, her foot ending up planted against his chestplate; she pushed that slight advantage, but to no avail. She struggled with all her might, but she was ultimately unsuccessful as the Vehicon laid a powerful blow to the side of her head, dazing the Autobot.

After gaining the upper hand, the Vehicon used the newfound advantage to grab the Autobot's head and slam it against his knee-plating, knocking the femme out cold. Turning, 46 readied his blaster for the battle to come, forgetting about the already recovering Autobot behind him.

Meanwhile, the other two Autobots had transformed the second their comrade had been temporarily neutralized, but they couldn't linger on that thought as they were fired upon the second they transformed. They took cover behind an abandoned mining drill and peeked out every once in a while to return fire. Eventually, the miner setting the charges was hit in killed by the way of being shot in the back, and another of his class dropped beside him not too long after.

Unbeknownst to the Decepticons, Arcee had regained consciousness and began to realize where she was and what was going on. Directly in front of her stood the last Deception miner, firing at Bulkhead and Bumblebee with one hand and reaching for the det-charge strapped to the back of his waist with the other. She stood, although shaky at first, before sprinting forwards and jumping, unleashing her left arm's blade and striking the miner's head, severing it from the rest of his body; it dropped to its knees before sinking forwards.

She then turned and fired a shot that lanced straight into the side of Vehicon 45, and he went down clutching his open wound but still functioning

Instead of switching targets or maintaining fire, the now gathered Vehicons stopped and looked between each other, their wounded comrade and the corpses of their former allies. The Autobots followed suit, with Bulkhead shifting uneasily, wondering why the Cons had stopped shooting.

Then, much to the Autobots surprise, the Vehicons nodded to each other and retracted their weapons. They each raised their hands above their heads and stepped away from the Energon behind them. One, the leader by the looks of it, kneeled down next to his injured friend and treated him as best he could.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee shrugged to each other and looked to Arcee, who had a finger on her earpiece.

"Ratchet, we have a… situation down here."

"What happened? Have the Decepticons been defeated?" the old medic replied, sounding curious and annoyed simultaneously.

Arcee grimaced, searching for the right words: "I guess you could say that…"

Another voice entered the channel, and it was immediately apparent who.

"Arcee, what is the situation in the Deception mine?" Optimus said calmly.

Arcee sighed. "The Cons down here have just surrendered." She decided the 'matter of fact' approach was best.

"You want us to scrap em'?" Bulkhead butted in. Arcee could almost see Optimus and Ratchet recoil at the news, and Bulkhead's question.

"No, bring them in. We will have questions for them." Optimus replied.

"If you say so. And have Ratchet get the medbay ready, one of the Cons is wounded." She almost felt guilty now that she had to see and be around the consequences of her actions.

"Understood. I will inform Ratchet, but we will have to prepare a place to keep the prisoners, so you will have to keep them there until I next call you." Optimus answered, his voice never changing in tone.

"You can count on it Optimus." She replied and then removed her finger from the earpiece.

Bumblebee chirped out a question in beeps.

"We're keeping them here until they find a place for them back at base Bee." She stopped, looking at the Decepticons who now huddled around the injured one who sat in a tiny pool of his own spilt Energon and guilt shot through all of the Autobots as they watched.

One of the troopers had pulled out a small welding torch and was blasting away at his friend's side as he squirmed slightly from the pain. She slowly walked over to the Decepticons looked to the leader of the group.

"How is he?" She tried to sound emotionless, but some genuine worry crept into her words at the end.

The leader stared for a few seconds before answering: "The damage is quite severe, but not irreparable. We've stopped the leak now though. He'll live." He sounded as if he was talking to a Deception official who was asking for a mundane report, not an Autobot who was holding him captive. Then he chuckled lightly.

"It's ironic. Last time I had to drag a casualty on this planet, the sides were reversed. I thought that was the last time I'd ever see an Autobot, much less fight one." To the Vehicon 45, this was a small anecdote, something any other Decepticon or Autobot would understand perfectly as a small side story. Unfortunately, 45 was unaware to the fact that Arcee was still extremely sensitive to any mention of Cliffjumper; with or without a name given, and can be driven very quickly to open anger at the mention of his death or those involved.

And now, hearing another Deception admit that he was involved in her somewhat beloved partner's death sent her into a deep fury at someone she had felt sympathy for moments earlier.

"What did you just say?" Arcee could barely contain the anger, and Bulkhead took one step closer to her as both Bumblebee and the second and third Vehicons took one step, or shuffle, back.

"I said that the last time I was near Autobots, the roles were backwards and the Autobots were the ones dying." 45 replied, getting to his feet and facing the raging Autobot. She growled and pulled out her blaster before pointing it at the Vehicon.

"Then I'll have to even the score!" She said and fired. The shot would've hit 45 in the head, had Bulkhead not intervened and jogged her aim upwards, the shot impacting against the roof as he restrained his ally.

Bumblebee stepped between the two as 47 got to his feet, hauling the injured 46 up with him. Just then, a ground bridge opened and out stepped Smokescreen carrying two pairs of binders. The hostility drained from the situation, but the tension never dissipated. Smokescreen didn't question what he had just seen and handed on of the binder pairs to Arcee.

The order in which they left for the ground bridge was with Bulkhead taking the lead, followed by a still smouldering Arcee who was cuffed to 45, blaster in the other hand. 45 had his arm around 46, as did 47 who in turn was binded to Smokescreen with Bumblebee taking up the rear.

As they were lead into the spiralling portal, the Deception prisoners wondered if the tales of Autobot brutality were true, and desperately hoping they weren't.

After all, no Vehicon had ever survived first contact.


End file.
